Retractable ball pen



April 10, 1955 J. c. FINK RETRACTABLE BALL PEN Filed Aug. 14, 1953 INVENTOR.

JAMES C. F//YK 84 n a0 2 2 Mw 46 0604 4% ser 4 1| .m L Y .y Illll'I/l'illl llllllllllllllllllllllll llllllll Il Ill Il Il #l Il Illlllll llllill Il lill!! Il Il IIIIIM ATTORNEYS United States Patentv RETRACTABLE BALL PEN James C. Fink, Decatur, Ga., assigner to Scripte, line., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,355

8 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

This invention relates generally to ball point writing instruments, and more particularly to writing instruments of this sort in which a ball point and reservoir unit is arranged for selective retraction so that the ball point may alternatively be projected from the instrument barrel for writing or retracted within the barrel when not in use.

According to the present invention, the ball point and reservoir unit is uniquely arranged for retraction by means operated from a plunger slidably disposed Within a tubular cap that is rotatably assembled at the rear end of the instrument barrel, the plunger serving to project the ball point to writing position when depressed, and the tubular cap carrying means for latching the plunger at the depressed position necessary for such projection, but which latching means in releasable at any time upon rotation of the tubular cap to allow the plunger and ball point to return to retracted position. This arrangement makes it possible to provide a retracting means that has a positive and consistent latching action, that incorporates a sturdy and serviceable structure, and that is easily manipulated from the above noted plunger and tubular cap, as is explained in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical vsection of a retractable hall pen embodying the present invention, in which the ball point and reservoir unit is shown in projected position;

Fig. 2 is a generally corresponding fragmentary sectional detail of the rear portion of the instrument barrel to illustrate further the arrangement of the retracting means therein;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3,-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail corresponding generally to Fig, 2, but showing the retracting means in retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the tubular rcap sleeve member and the plunger extension taken alone as seen in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the tubular cap. sleeve member as seenV from the right in Fig, 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail takenl substantially at the line 7-7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail taken substantially at the line S-S in Fig. 5', and

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of the plunger extension taken .alan-e Substantially as seen ou the line 9.-9 in Fis- 5.

ASv .illustrated in the .drawings the retractable bau pen 0f the present invention comprises a bail point and reservoir unit 16 housed withinra two-part barrel formed by a forward barrel portion 12 and rear barrel portion 14. The forward barrel portion 12 forms the writing end of the pen and mainly houses the ball point and reservoir Unit 10, this unit lt) consisting of a ball point element 16 itied Within the forward endof e tubular reservoir i3 that is yieldably biased rearwardly in the forward, bar- Isl pedan 1.2.?. as by a spring 2Q, so as to maintain the ball point element 16 retracted within the forward barrel portion 12, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, except 2,741,225 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 ice 2 when the unit 10 is latched at its projected position, as indicated by full lines in Fig. l.

The forward barrel portion 12 is reduced in diameter adjacent its rear end and is externally threaded at this reduced portion to engage a threaded sleeve 22 tted within the forward end of the rear barrel portion 14 so as to provide for assembly of the two-part barrel as a unit. The rear barrel portion 14 is further fitted intermediate its length with an abutment collar 24, and is formed with an inwardly extending annular ange 26 at its rear end.

The previously mentioned tubular operating cap for the retracting means, which is indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 28, is assembled for rotation on the rear barrel portion 14 at this annular ange 26. For this purpose, a washer 3i) is seated beneath the flange 26 and is formed to extend through the annular opening therein so as to abut the bottom face of the tubular cap 28. The assembly of the tubular cap 28 in place for rotation is completed by a sleeve member 32 lixed to the cap 28 and extending forwardly in the rear barrel portion 14 to a disposition within the abutment collar 24. This sleeve member 32 has at least one outwardly formed slit boss therein, as at 34, disposed with the slit edge thereof facing upwardly in abutting relation beneath the washer 30 so as to confine the washer 30 against the bottom face of the tubular cap 28.

The sleeve member 32 is longitudinally slotted along one side, as atie, and is received within an enlarged bore 38 in the lower portion of the tubular cap 23, this enlarged, bore 38 having a longitudinal rib 38 formed therein to lit the longitudinal slot 36 of the sleeve member 32 and thereby key it against rotation within the tubular cap 23. The sleeve member 32 is further formed at the portion thereof received within the enlarged bore 33 with at least one outwardly formed slit boss, as at 4i), having the slit edge thereof facing downwardly so as to grip the enlarged bore 38 against removal of the sleeve member 32 and thereby x it to the tubular operating cap 2S.

Beyond the enlarged bore 3S, the bore of the tubular operating cap 28 continues at a reduced diameter corre sponding substantially with the internal diameter of the sleeve member 32, and the perriously mentioned operating plunger, which is indicated in thev drawings at 42, isslidably disposed within the composite bore formed by the tubular cap '28 and the sleeve member 32. The lower end of this plunger member 42 is reduced in diameter to carry a tubular extension 44 that extends forwardly within the sleeve member 32 to a disposition also within the abutment collarv 2 4. The reduced portion of the plonger member 42 is circumferentially grooved as at 46, and the tubular extension 44 has inwardly formed ears 48 disposed in this groove 46 so asv to fix the extension 44 on the plunger 42.

To maintain the tubular plunger extension 44 in operating alignment with the sleeve member 32 fixed on the tubular operating cap 2S, the plunger extension has an outwardly formed ear or lug 5) extending rearwardly Vthrough the longitudinal slot 35 in the sleeve member 32.

This aligning lug SQ also serves as a limit stop to determine the retracted position of the plunger 42 by abutment against. the bottom face of the assembly washer 30 (coinpare Figs. 2 and 4).

Opposite the longitudinal slot 31', the sleeve member V3.2 is. further formed with a yieldable latch arm portion v S2 extending forwardly within the abutment collar 24, and by which it is arranged to serve as a latch arm member. At this opposite side the tubular plunger extension 44 is also longitudinally slotted as at 54 and has a latching notch 56 extending from each side of this longitudinal slot S4 at a position, lengthwise of the tubular extension 4 4, such that thelower edge of the latching notch 56 will pass just below the extending end of the sleeve member latch arm portion 52 when the plunger 42 is depressed 3 s to move the ball point element 16 to projected position. Accordingly, at this projected position the latch arm portion 52 will spring into the latching notch 56 so as to Y maintain the plunger 42 depressed and thereby 'hold the ball point element 16 in projectedrposition, as seen in the latch arm portion 52, and'presenting wall portions' spaced in opposed relation to the extending ends of the lateral wing portions 58 (see Fig. 3). As a result of this arrangement, rotation of the tubular cap 2S in either direction will result in abutting one of these wing portions 58 at the extending end thereof against the adjacent wall portion of the abutment collar slot 60, and continued rotation of the cap 2S will resultV in llexing the latch arm portion 52 so as to force it from the latchingnotch 56 and thereby release the tubular extension 44 and plunger 42 for return to retracted position under the force of the Y bias spring 2t) provided in the forward barrel portion 12.

The tubular plunger extension 44 serves also-to receive and align the rear end of the reservoir 18 for the `ball point unit 10, the reservoir 18 being received within the tubular extension 44 in abutting relation with the bottom face of the plunger 42, and this bottom plunger face being transversely slotted as at 62 so as to ventrthe reservoir 18 at its rear end.

The present invention hasbeen described in detail above Yfor purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: Y Y f Y l. Aretractable ball pen having a rear barrel portion with which av retracting mechanism is assembled, said retracting mechanism comprising a tubular cap arranged Y externally on the rear end of said barrel portion for relative rotation with respect to said barrel portion about the longitudinal axis of said barrel portion, a plungerdisposedfor axial sliding movement within said cap and projecting from the rear end thereof, an axial extension on said plunger extending forwardly in said barrel Vportion and having Va rearwardly facing latchingnotch formed therein adjacent its forward end, asleeve member fixed on said cap and extending forwardly therefrom in surrounding relation with respect to said plunger extension and having a forwardly extending, yieldable latch arm portion formed therein and biased inwardly for engagement at its forward edge with said plunger extension latching notch to hold said plunger against rearward pressure,.and abutment means fixed within said barrel portion in spaced lateral opposition to the forward end portion of said tubular sleeve latch Yarm portion and engageable therewith for displacing said latch arm portion from engagement with said latching notch upon rotation of said cap.

2. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim l and fur-i ther characterized in that the forward end of said latch arm portion is formed with lateral wing portions shaped arcuately on a radius greater than that of said sleeve member and with the concave sides thereof facing inwardly, and Vsaid Yabutment means is formed by a collar having a transverse slot therein providing clearance for latching disposition of said latch arm and presenting wall portions spaced in opposed relation to the ends of saidy lateral wing portions.

3. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim l and further characterizedin that said sleeve member is slotted longitudinally, and said plunger extension has an outwardly formed ear portion extending rearwardly through the slot of said sleeve member, said ear portion serving as a stop element for limiting rearward movement of said plunger and further serving'to maintain said sleeve member and plunger extension in alignment. y

4. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim l and fur ther characterized in that said tubular cap is formed with an enlarged bore in the lower portion thereof to receive said sleeve member and has a longitudinal rib formed in said bore, and said sleeve member is slotted for keyed disposition with said rib in said bore and is Vformed at the portion thereof received within said bore with at least one outwardly formed slit boss having the slit edge thereof facing downwardly for gripping said bore against removal of said sleeve member. Y

5. A retractable ball pen as delined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said rear barrel portion is formed with an inwardly extending annular angevat the rear end thereof, a washer surrounding said sleeve member is seated beneath said fiange'and is formed'to extend through the annuiar opening in said abut the bottom face of said tubularcap at the ytop flange face,

and said sleeve member has at least one outwardly formed slit boss therein disposed with the slit edge thereof facing upwardly in abutting relation beneath said washer.

6. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim l and furt ther characterized in that said rear barrel is further assembled with a forward barrelY portion completingk a Vhousingfor a'ball and reservoir unit, said unit is yield ably biased rearwardly in said forward barrel portion, and the rear end portion of the reservoir of said unit is received in said plunger extension and disposed in abutting relation with the bottom face of said plunger.

7. A retractable ball pen as defined in claim Grand further characterized in that the bottom face of said plunger is transversely slotted for venting said reservoir at the rear end thereof. t

8. A retractable ball pen comprising arear barrel portion, a' tubular cap assembled in axial alignment on said barrel portion at the rear end thereof for relative rotation with respect to said barrel portion about the longitudinal barrel axis, abutment means fixed within said barrel por tion and facing laterally therein at a position spaced forwardly from the rear end thereof, a plunger disposed for axial sliding movement within said cap, said plunger pro jecting rearwardly from said cap and extending forwardly therefrom within said barrel portion for sliding movement forwardly beyond ,said abutment means, and a yieldable latch arm member carried'by said cap and extending forwardly therefrom laterally adjacent said abutment means at a position to be engaged by said abutment means upon relative rotation of said cap with respect to said barrel portion, the forward end of said latch arm member beingY iased inwardly for engaging and holding said plunger at a forward position with respect to said barrel portion upon movement of said plunger forwardly within said cap, and said latch arm member being displaceable outwardly for releasing the engagement thereof with said plunger only by said rotation of said cap.

References Cited in the le of Athis patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS Piel Dec. 13, 1927 Great Britain Aug. 13, 195,2 

